archer



t e e h S w e e h S 3 m3 HM OH R L A T W E .D G

(No Model.)

No. 463,348. Patented Nov. 17, 1891.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Patented Nov; 1'7, 1891.

G. W. ARCHER.

DENTAL CHAIR;

(No Model.) V 3 Sheets-Sheet 3. G. W. ARCHER.

DENTAL GHAIR.

No. 463,348. Patented Nov. 17, 1891.

I 1 1 I I 1 [I], I 1 7! 7 III] 70 1-2 UNITED STATES ATEINT @rr cn. v

GEORGE IV. ARCHER, OF ROCHESTER, NElV YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE ARCHERMANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

DENTAL CHAIR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 463,348, dated November17, 1891,

Application filed January 11, 1890. Serial No. 336,667- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE XV. ARCHER, of the city of Rochester, countyof Monroe, and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Dental Chairs; and I do hereby declare the following tobe a full,clear, and exact description of the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, andto the figures and letters of reference marked thereon.

My present invention relates to dentists chairs, and has for its objectto provide one simple in construction and capable of being readilyadjusted, so as to place the occupant in the most convenient position tobe operated upon; and it further has for its object to provide meanswhereby the chair can be adapted for children and whereby also thepatient can be quickly supported at full length should this be desirableor necessary as, for instance, in a case of heart-failure or faintingfollowing an operation or the use of anaesthetics.

To these and other ends the invention consists in certain novelties ofconstruction and combinations of parts, all as will be hereinafter fullydescribed, and the novel features pointed out particularly in the claimsat the end of this specification.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of achair constructed inaccordance with my invention; Fig. 2, a rear elevation of the same; Fig.3, a vertical sectional View of the same, taken on the line a: a: ofFig. 2; Fig. 4,

a sectional view on the line z of Fig. 3; Fig. 5, alongitudinalsectional view of the adjustable foot-rest; Fig.6, an end view of thesame; Fig. 7, a view similar to Fig. 3, showing the chair-back inhorizontal position; Fig. 8, a sectional view taken on the line y yofFig. 3; Fig. 9, a sectional view taken on the line a b of Fig. Fig. 10is a detail side view of the back-support and links with the chair-armremoved; Fig. 11, a top plan view of the same; Fig. 12, a sectional viewon the line 0 d of Fig. 3. Fig. 13 is a view of a modification.

Similar letters and numerals of reference in the several figures denotesimilar parts.

The base of the chair consists of a suitable casting 1, having spreadinglegs and a central recess or socket for the reception of thestandard-carrying casting 2, which latter in the present instance ismade separate from the base-casting 1 for convenience of construction;but it could as well be made integral with it, if desired, and for thepurpose of description the casting 2 will be called the base, its meansof support.being immaterial and the arrangement shown being but oneform.

The standard upon which the chair-seat is mounted is preferablyconstructed in two telescoping-sections 3 and 4, the former fitting thesocket in base 2 and the latter inside of it, as shown, said innersection 4 being connected to the base 2 by a chain or other flexibleconnection 5, passing over a roller or pulley 63, secured to the upperportion of 'section 3, said chain Operating in a groove 7, formed insection a and also projecting a slight distance into section 3, therebypreventing independent rotary motion of the sections, though any othermeans of accomplishing this could be employed. It will thus be seen thatif the standard-section 3 is raised a given distance by any suitablelifting device the loop of the chain over the pulley 6 will be, raised,thereby causing the inner standard-section 4: to be raised twice thedistance that the outer section is, this differential action permittingthe operator to raise the chair rapidly to any height desired. Anysuitable device could be employed for raising the standard; but Ipreferto arrange a clamping-ring 8 around section 3, said ring beingconnected on one side to a link 9, pivoted to a foot-lever 10, thelatter being pivoted upon the chair-base. In normal position this ringrests upon the top of the base, as in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, (full lines;)but when the outer end of the lever is moved down by the operator thering will be tilted, grasp the standard, and the continued movement ofthe lever will raise the latter a short distance, the dilferentialmovement raising the seat twice the dis tance, as described. A spring 11serves to return the lever and clamp to first position, when it can beagain operated to raise the standard, a suitable retaining device(farther on described) serving to retain the standard in elevatedposition. The foot-lever is preferably made in two parts hinged togetherat 25, so that the outer section can be swung beneath the chair out ofthe way when desired. The means herein employed to retain the standardin elevated position and which permits the gradual lowering of. thechair when 'desired is constructed as follows: In the side of thestandard-section 3 is provided a groove 12, gradually increasingin depthfrom top to bottom and forming an inclined surface, with whichco-operates a wedge or retaining-block 13, mounted in a suitable boss 14in base-section 2, said block being normally-pressed into engagementwith the incline by means of a strong spring 15, confined in said recessbetween the block and an adjustable nut or abutment 16 in the boss, andthe strength of the springis such that as the standard is raised theblock will follow in and support it by co-operating with the incline. Asa means for releasing said block and allowing the gradual descent of thestandard, I mount upon the boss 14 a lever l7, having a sleeve 18encir-. cling it and connected to the base at its rear end by a spring19. At the end of the sleeved portion is an adjustable screw 20, againstwhich bears one end of a rod 21, its other end bearing against block 13,and in the sides of the sleeve are provided inclined or spiral slots 22,into which project pins 23, secured to the boss 14, (see Figs. 1 and 8,)the arrangement of the parts being such that 'as the standard is raisedand the block 13 forced in by its spring the spring 19 will turn thesleeve and raise lever 17 through the slot-andpin connection,followingthe block and cansin g a portion of the outward thruston the latter tobe maintained by the lever. The sleeve, it will be noted, constitutes aset-nut, which automatically follows the wedge-block as it moves in andprevents its outward movement. \Vhen the block is nearest the center ofthe standard, the lever 17 is in highest position, and by pressure onits outer end the set-nut will be withdrawn from the block and thestandard permitted to descend gradually. Even should the standard beraised and sustained by means other than the wed ge-block, the latterserves as an admirable means for regulating its descent, the compressionof the spring being gradual as the chair descends and the space occupiedby the parts small.

Any form of lifting-clutch could be used inst ad of the one shown, andthe construction of the standard itself could be greatly varied withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention. The upper end ofstandard-section l is reduced slightly, as shown, and upon this reducedportion is mounted a plate or casting 33, capable of rotary movementthereon, and the seat-framefZG is provided with a central yoke orcasting 30, pivoted to said plate 33 by bolts 24, thereby permitting theseat to be tilted backward, as desired. The

upper portion of plate 33 is preferably procasting 30 or attached to theseat-frame and" adapted to maintain the seat when tilted. This bolt isnormally projected by a spring 36, confined between pin 37 and across-flange 38,and its rear portion is provided with ayoke 9S,surrounding a boss 35, formed around the standard end. Secured to theyoke and passing through apertures in flange 34 and boss 35 is a pin orbolt 39, adapted when the bolt 32 is projected to co-operate with one ofa series of perforations 40, formed in the end of the seatstandard, saidpin 39 being slightly longer than the projecting end of bolt 32, towhich it is connected,so that the latter can be withdrawn a shortdistance and the chair tilted without withdrawing bolt 39 and permittingthe rotary movement of the chair on the standard. A handle or lever 41,pivoted to plate 33 and to the bolt 32, projects to the side of thechair in convenient position for the operator. It will be seen that ifit is desired to tilt the chair the bolt 32 is only moved back slightly,releasing the plate 31; but if desired to rotate the seat on thestandard the bolt is moved clear back, releasing the plate 33 as well,when the latter can be turned and the bolt 39 permitted to enter one ofthe apertures l0, securely looking it in position.

Mounted upon the chair-frame are the arms 27, and secured to the lowerportion are the downwardly and forwardly projecting arms or brackets 28,supporting at their outer portions the platform 29, to which theadjustable foot-rest is connected, as hereinafter-described.

The back of the chair 42, preferably cushioned, as shown, is secured toa supporting plate or casting 4L3 by a screworbolt 44, passing through aslot in said casting and serving to clamp the parts together with theback in any desired position of vertical adjustment. The back plate orcasting 43-is pivoted at its lower end to a link 45, which latter ispivoted to abracket 46,secured to the chair-seat frame, said link, whenthe back is in normal position, resting upon the bracket, as in fulllines, Fig. 3 or when adjusted for a child (as farther on described) itoccupies the position shown in dotted lines in said figure. The upperportion of the back-plate L3 is extended laterally, and on the ends ofthe extensions are studs 4:7, and inside of these are pivoted the endsof depending links 43, the other ends being provided with pins 49,entering slots 50 in plates 51, pivoted at 52 to the arms 27 of thechair. The plates 51 are further provided on their upper sides withnotches 53 54, with which the studs 47011 the back-plate are adapted toengage when desired, and notches 55 are also formed therein adapted toengage with pins 56 on the chair-arms, preventing the upward movement ofthe forward portion of the plates 51 when the weight of the chair-backis in rear of the pivot in normal position. IVhen the parts are in theposition shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 10, the link 45 is turned to the rear,and studs 47 are in notches 53, thus throwing the weight of the back onthe rear sides of plates 51, and as this is the normal position of theparts,I prefer to lock them by means of a screw to, passing through alugformed on link 45 and engaging the under side of bracket 46, as in Fig.12.

Then desired to shorten up the seat to adapt the chair for the use ofchildren, the screw or may be loosened and the back-plate and backlifted up, disengaging studs 47 from notches 53, turning link- 45 over,and drop ping studs 47 into notches 54 in plates 51, as in Fig. 3 indotted lines.

\Vhen it is desired to lower the head of the patient suddenly, as incase of fainting or heart-failure, due to the use of anaesthetics, theoperator can lift the back-plate bodily, taking the studs 47 out ofnotches 53 or 54 and move it down to horizontalposition, as in Fig. 7,the links 48 and plates 51 supporting the back at or near the middle andthe link 45 and bracket 46 supporting its lower end, and, if desired,the Whole chair can then be tilted back in'the manner previouslydescribed.

While I prefer to secure the back adjustably to the supporting-plate 43,it is obvious that it could be rigidly securedthereto, in which event,and in fact when adj ustably secured to the plate, said back and plateare practically integral, except for the capability of adjustment. Thelinks 48 could also, if

desired, be connected directly to the arms by the same sort of aslot-and-pin connection described between them and the plates 51, as inFig. 13, 48 indicating the links; but I prefer the arrangement shown, asit does not take up as much room, and the links 48 serve in a measure tosupport the back when in normal position.

Near the upper portion of the chair-back 42 is arranged an ordinaryeccentric split clamp for holding the head-support stand- I ard 71, thelatter consisting of a rod having the rearwardly-extending arm 72 at thetop, to which the adjustable head-rest is secured. The arm 72 isprovided with a vertical aperture, through which extends aclamping-block 73, having-an aperture therein and a threaded shank 74,to which is applied a hand-nut 75, co-operating with the lower side ofsaid arm.

The head-rest proper 76 consists, preferably, of a suitable cushion, tothe' rear portion of which is connected a bracket- 7 7, hav ing two arms78 79, the one 78 pivoted to the end of a plate 80, preferably recessedon its under side and provided with a recess at the forward portion,through which projects a bar or plate 81, connected at its upper end tothe other arm 79 by a slot-and-pin connection, as shown. Both the plates80 and 81 extend through the eye of clamping-block 73, the latterresting on the arm 72, so that by screwing the nut 74 up tightly theywill be clamped together and to said arm. By loosen ing this nut thehead-rest can be tilted forward employment of a great number of parts orsecuring and adjusting screws.

The foot-rest consists of a board or plate 60, pivoted upon parallellinks connected to platform 29, two of said links 61 61 being pivoted tothe sides of the platform and preferably connected by a board or plate62, and the third link 63, pivotedat one end to a bracket 64, secured tothe platform, and at the other to a bracket 65 on board 60, as shown,this arrangement insuring board 60 being maintained level, no matterwhatits elevation may be. As a means for looking it at any desiredelevation, I prefer to form the end of link 63 with segmentalratchet-teeth, with which co-operate a pawl 94, capable of being readilyreleased by the operator, allowing the rest to be moved. if desired,level with platform 29. The ratchet is so constructed as to permit theelevation of the foot-rest without lifting the pawl by hand.

Secured to the upper side of plate 60 are brackets 68, to which arepivoted arms 66, connected to a board 67, against which the patient maybrace himself while undergoing painful operations, and said board can beturned over to the position shown in dottet lines when desirable.

While I have described the standard supporting and lowering devices asapplied to a telescoping standard having a differential action, it willbe understood that the arrangement of the wedge-block and set-nut couldas Well be applied to a chair or other device having a single standard,the telescoping and differentialarrangement being for the purpose ofproviding for a chair capable of very high or very low adjustmentwithout the use of an unnecessarily long standard. I do not claim hereinthe construction of the head-rest shown and described, as the same formsthe subject-matter of a divisional stantially as described.

2. In a chair, the combination, with'the' base,-of a standard composedof two telescopclutch devices between said lever and the standardsection carrying the pulley, su'bing sections, one carrying thechair-seat and the other having a pulley thereon, a' flexible connectionbetween the base and thefirstmentioned section passing over the pulley,a lifting-lever, clutch devices between said lever and thestandard-section carrying the pulley, and a supporting deviceco-operating with the last-mentioned section, substantially asdescribed.

3. In a chair, the combination, with the base-section 2, of thetelescoping section 3, a lifting device for elevating section 3, theroller 6, the section at, and the chain passing over roller 6 andconnected at its ends with sections 2 and 4:, substantially asdescribed.

at. The combination, with the two telescoping base-sections, onecarrying the chair-seat and the other having the roller, of the section2, the separate lifting and sustaining devices mounted thereon, and thechain connected to said section at one end and at the other to thesection carrying the chair and passing over the roller, substantially asdescribed.

5. The combination, with the base and the standard consisting of the twotelescoping sections, one carrying the chair and having the groovetherein and the other having the roller, of the chain connected to thefirst-mentioned section, passing over the roller and secured to thebase, and a lifting device operating on the section carrying the roller,substantially as described.

6. In achair, the combinationfivith the base and a standard carrying theseat and having the incline thereon tapering toward the bottom, of awedge or block in the base co-operating with the incline on thestandard, a spring for pressing said block in contact, a following piecefor preventing the outward movement of the block under the control ofthe operator, and a lifting device for the standard, substantially asdescribed.

7. In a chair, the combination, with the base and a standard carryingthe seat and having an incline thereon, of a spring-pressed wedge orblock co-operating with said incline, an automatically-followingset-nut. under the control of the operator for holding the block inposition, and a lifting device for the standard, substantially asdescribed.

S. In achair, the combination, with the base and a standard carrying theseat and having an incline thereon, of a spring-pressed wedge or blockco-operating with said incline, an automatically-following set-nut forholding the block in position, a releasing-lever connected thereto, anda lifting device for the standard, substantially as described.

9. The combination, with the standard carrying a seat and having theincline and the spring-pressed block or wedge co-operating therewith, ofthe set-nut co-operating with the block, the spring for rotating it, andthe lever connected to the nut, substantially as described.

10. The combination, with the standard carrying a seat and having theincline thereon, of the base in which the standard operates, having theboss, the spring-pressed block or wedge, the sleeve on the boss having ascrew having the series of apertures near its end, of

the plate capable of rotation thereon, the seat pivoted 011 said platehaving the series of apertures, the movable bar 011 the plate, and thetwo bolts thereon, one co-operating with the aperture in the standardend and the other with the apertures on the seat, substantially asdescribed.

12. The combination, with the standard having the series of aperturesnear its end, of the plate capable of rotation thereon, the seat pivotedon said plate having the series of apertures, the yoke encircling theend of the standard, the two bolts connected thereto, one co-operatingwith the aperture in the standard and the other with the apertures onthe seat, and a lever for actuating said yoke, substantially asdescribed.

' 13. The combination,with the standard, of the plate thereon capable ofrotation, the chair-seat pivoted on the plate, and two bolts. one forlocking the plate to the standard and the other, shorter than thefirst-mentioned one, for locking the seat to the plate, connected forsimultaneous operation, whereby the seat and plate maybe released totilt the former without disengaging the plate and standard,substantially as described.

1%. The combination, with a chair having the arms, of a chair-backhaving lugs on the sides, a link pivoted to the lower end of the backand the seat, and plates on the chairarms having two or more notches forthe reception of the lugs on the back, substantially as described.

15. The combination, with a chair having the stationary arms, of achair-back pivoted at its lower end to the seat, and the slotted linksseparate from said pivotal connection with the seat connected to thearms and back, whereby the back can be extended substantially horizontalwhen desired, as set forth.

16. The combination, with a chair having the arms, of a-chair-baekpivoted at the lower end to the seat and having the lugs on the sides,the plates on the arms having notches for the reception of the lugs, andthe links connecting the back and arms, substantially as described.

17. The combination, with a chair having the arms, of a chair-backpivoted at the lower end to the seat. and having the lugs on the sides,the plates pivoted on the arms having notches for the lugs, and thelinks connected to the plates and to the back, substantially asdescribed.

18. The combination, with the chair having the arms, of a chair-back, aback-supporting plate having the lugs at the sides and pivoted to theseat at the bottom, the plates pivoted to the arms having notches forthe lugs on the back-support, and the links pivoted to said plates andthe back-support, substantially as described.

19. The combination, with the chair having the arms, of aback-supporting plate pivoted 5 to the seat at the'bottoln and havinglugs on the sides, a chair-back adj ustably connected to said plate, andplates supported on the chair-arms having one or more notches for thereception of the lugs on the back-support,

10 substantially as described.

20. The combination, with a chair" and a Witnesses:

FRED F. CHURCH, (3. D. KIEHEL.

GEORGE XV. ARCHER.

